Tobias was alarmed to see a young member of Dauntless so far away from the action. They stood mere feet from each other in a stalemate, guns drawn, neither moving. The Dauntless boy was breathing hard, sweat beading on his forehead, and there was a slight tremble in his hands.

"You're awake?" Tobias asked. The boy relaxed slightly and nodded, spinning around sharply when something broke a nearby window; he was clearly more scared than he was any kind of threat.

The boy backed up a few paces, moving closer to Tobias, though nothing came into their view. "Who are you?" he asked, turning back around and taking in Tobias's attire. "You're not Dauntless."

Tobias knew it might be a long shot, but having help would speed things up. He also had a gut feeling this person would want the simulation to stop just as much as he did. "No time to explain, but I'm looking for a blue drive. The kind that you plug into a computer. You familiar with anything like that?"

"I'm familiar. What about it?"

"It can stop the Dauntless that are under the simulation. All I need is an extra set of eyes and access to a computer."

The boy eyed him warily, his hands firmly grasped on his gun. As a sign of trust, Tobias lowered his, though he did not put it away. "How do you know this will stop it?"

"Because someone who helped create the simulation assured me it would."

The boy puckered his lips in thought, looked him over once more, then thrust a hand forward. Tobias raised an eyebrow and shook it. "Name's Uriah."

"Four."

"Four?" he said, a wide grin crossing his face. "Now I have to know where you come from with a name like that."

They walked together, scouring the streets for the drive until they were almost at the train tracks. Tobias slowed, seeing a body laying on the side of the road. He looked in all the windows and doorways for any sign of Marcus while Uriah walked over to an adjacent alleyway and bent over. "This it?" he asked, holding up the drive.

Tobias examined it and nodded, deciding there couldn't be more than one blue drive to find. He pocketed it and looked back at Natalie's body. Walking over to her, he noticed for the first time just how alike she and Tris looked, until his eyes drifted down. The marks on her neck were vibrant, fresh. Tobias thought about the way Marcus had also wrapped his hands around Evelyn's neck and grit his teeth. He wouldn't get away with this. He would pay for what he had done to Natalie and to his mother.

Sighing, he picked up her small frame, cradling her in his arms. Uriah looked on curiously for a moment, then nodded as he held his gun up, leading the way back to where they had started. Tobias's eyes never stopped moving, looking for signs of Marcus, simulation-controlled Dauntless, or even any factionless. He briefly wondered if they had hidden themselves away, moving deeper into the decrepit buildings. He wouldn't blame them if they had.

Tobias placed Natalie's body safely out of sight inside the building they used to enter the city. The gunfire was still going strong, and Tobias knew the Abnegation had to be hiding or fighting back. If they had simply lain down and died, it would have been over a long time ago. He and Uriah crept through the alleyways, keenly aware of every noise and movement around them. But being dressed like the rest of the Dauntless gave Uriah an advantage that Tobias didn't have. He pulled up short, weighing his options.

"They'll be looking for gray, right?" Uriah said as Tobias stared down at his attire.

Tobias shrugged. "I'm assuming."

"Then just act like you're one of them. They're like robots right now. I don't think they can process the difference."

Tobias stilled when he heard a loud cry, followed by a triumphant cheer. Uriah's eyes were wide as they stared at one another. Tobias finally moved forward until he could see the gathering crowd of Dauntless and their leaders standing on the steps of Abnegation's Council building. "Shit," he muttered.

"There a back way?" asked Uriah.

Over the years, there weren't many times Tobias wanted to be associated with his old life. But as they circled around, stepping over the bodies of the innocent men, women, and children that littered the streets, Tobias felt his heart surge with both pride and anger, still feeling like he belonged to them. No matter how out of touch they seemed at times, this had been his home. These were his people.

Abnegation was beginning to quiet, and it felt like every step they took was as loud as the gunfire from earlier. He cursed Abnegation's selfless desire to let their streets deteriorate to gravel and sand, and held his breath as they eased up to the back of the Council building. Uriah held his gun firmly as Tobias opened the door, the two of them sneaking in. Tobias could recall only one computer, his father's, and slunk down the hall towards it.

There were voices echoing from somewhere in the building. He could hear Uriah breathing behind him at his same rapid, shallow pace. Tobias had no idea what would happen after they stopped the simulation, or if it was even necessary anymore. It could already be too late. A loud bang startled them both, and they quickly ducked into a nearby room.

"I don't think he knows," a deep voice said. "We're just wasting our time."

"Oh, he knows," another male voice responded. "That's the problem with these Abnegation. They've all been brainwashed to tell lies in the name of selflessness. But it doesn't matter now. There's only so many places a person can hide in the city, and he'll have to come out eventually. We should get back to Erudite. Just let the sims kill the last of them and be done with it."

Uriah's head snapped towards Tobias. "That sounds like Eric," he whispered. "He's one of the Dauntless leaders. He must be a traitor if he's awake and killing Abnegation."

Tobias turned to see Uriah close his eyes and shake his head. He'd only just met the boy, but he knew exactly how he felt: helpless. They were both startled when a gunshot rang out, and Tobias couldn't help but wonder who they were questioning, who they just killed. He took a quick look around the room and gripped Uriah's shoulder, shaking it; there was a computer on the desk behind them. They moved quickly, Uriah turning it on while Tobias pulled out the drive, his hand hovering next to the port. He cursed while he watched the screen load, Abnegation's technology being so much older and slower than what he was used to at the Bureau. As soon as the screen came on, Tobias plugged in the drive.

The two of them stood completely still, and Uriah held his breath. They heard the computer begin running, then after a minute, nothing. "Is that it?" Uriah whispered. "Is it over?" Tobias crept to the door and cracked it open, listening. At first there was nothing but silence, then a few strangled cries rang out before turning into a loud, angry roar. Uriah sighed with relief as Tobias grabbed the drive, cautiously making their way back into the hallway. Tobias was sure it wouldn't be safe for him to walk out the front door; he was surprised to see Uriah following him back the way they came.

"What?" Uriah said when Tobias raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm not going out there, either." Tobias nodded, looking down a hallway when something caught his eye. He crept forward, nervous to see so much blood pooling out into the hallway. Uriah stayed put, weary of seeing so much death.

Tobias's heart dropped when he recognized the body laying on the floor. He shut his eyes, trying to rid himself of the image of Andrew's bruised and bloody body. He was done; he'd had enough of seeing everyone from his past riddled with bullet holes, not to mention how Tris was going to react. He took one last look to be absolutely sure: most of his face was bruised and covered in blood, and one eye was swollen shut, but it was definitely Andrew. It was too big of a risk to take him to be with Natalie now, but at least here he would be found and given a proper burial. If there was anyone left from Abnegation to do it.

Tobias walked with determination, Uriah trailing a half-step behind. He needed to get back to the Bureau. He needed to check that Tris was secure, and he needed to plan with Amar and Matthew on how they were going to make the Bureau pay for the lies they had been telling; they also had to figure out a way to put the city back together without causing any more deaths. The Dauntless that they did pass as they walked were too busy crying or arguing with each other to even notice. They were at the edge of the factionless sector before he knew it.

"Listen, Uriah. Thanks for all your help, but you should get back to Dauntless. I'm guessing they'll have one hell of a time pulling themselves back together after this."

"What if I don't want to?" He looked away, towards the sounds of shouting and fighting. "I don't know if I can go back there after what happened. I don't know if my brother, or my friends…" He was quiet for a moment before a hard look crossed his face. "Dauntless will be split. The leaders, they clearly weren't under mind control like everyone else. They willingly did this."

Tobias let out a loud breath as he studied Uriah; the pain on his face was evident. He seemed calmer than most Dauntless, and Tobias guessed that the reason he wasn't under the sim was because he was Divergent. He knew it was just as dangerous for Uriah to be in the city as it was for Tris or any other Divergent. With Dauntless being caught up in the middle of everything, Tobias couldn't leave him to fend for himself.

"Tell you what: do you think you could find your friends and your family?" Uriah shrugged, but then nodded. Tobias glanced at his watch. "Train should be passing by in fifteen minutes. Ask around that crowd or get to Dauntless, find them, and bring them back here. Wait inside the basement of the building where I left the woman, and I'll come back for you."

"Okay, but where are you going?"

"You think two hours will be enough?" Tobias deflected.

Uriah shrugged. "You didn't answer my question."

Tobias flashed him a smile. "That is a long story that I'm only going to tell once. Bring whoever you want, and I'll tell you then." Uriah gave him a nod and shook his hand before taking off.

Tobias jogged through factionless. He tried to get into contact with Amar; when he didn't respond, Tobias panicked slightly, worried that they had been caught and were being held by David. But he also knew there was a small space between the Bureau and the city where communications sometimes dropped out, and he chose to believe that to be the cause. He had just made note of the time so he could call again in five minutes when a gray figure came into his peripheral vision.

He didn't even need to look to know who it was. He could feel his body immediately reacting as a shiver of fear raced up his spine. But he chose to focus on what Marcus had done to Tris and Natalie instead, and the desire to lunge in his direction and wrap his own hands around the man's throat surged through him and overpowered his fear. Tobias took a deep, calming breath and turned slightly, patiently waiting for Marcus to speak first.

"I always knew you were alive," Marcus said, approaching slowly. "I never gave up hope that I would find you." Tobias clenched his jaw, almost unable to contain his eye roll. His father didn't care about him, he never had. Tobias briefly wondered how his father had managed to avoid the conflict and where he'd been hiding. If Tobias knew just one thing, it was that nothing was impossible where Marcus was concerned. He considered the possibility that Marcus knew something more about the attacks since he had been in Erudite and had helped Tris escape. Perhaps learning what his father knew might present an advantage.

"Marcus," he said coolly. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing. All these years that I've been without you, and look at you. My son, all grown up." Tobias let a strained smile through, and reluctantly motioned with his head for Marcus to follow.

He silently thanked himself for placing Natalie's body where it couldn't be seen as he led Marcus through the door and into the tunnel. Tobias carefully watched his reaction: he didn't seem surprised for someone who was just finding out all of this existed.

"What exactly is going on?" Tobias asked, trying to remain calm as they walked down the tunnel.

"Madness. Anarchy. The Dauntless came in with their guns drawn and started killing Abnegation indiscriminately. They've lost their minds."

"But you managed to find a place to hide?"

"Well, someone needs to be around to restore Abnegation after the dust settles."

"And the rest of the Council?"

Marcus narrowed his eyes but said nothing. He knew Abnegation was more than likely destroyed. Even if there were some members who had survived, that would hardly be enough to restore the faction to what it had been. Jeanine had played him for a fool, and he knew there wouldn't be much of a chance for him to retain his position of power. Marcus was done with the city, and setting his sights on wherever Tobias had been living suddenly seemed like a more viable, profitable option.

"Tell me about where you have been all these years. Is your mother there?"

It took every ounce of restraint for Tobias to keep moving. "No," he answered, his voice calm and level. "She left years ago, and nobody's seen her since."

"Oh. That's a shame."

Tobias debated with himself on how to proceed. There was a part of him that wanted to put a bullet in Marcus's head and be done with it. There was also a part that wanted to take him back to the Bureau and have him face charges for what he had done. Although he was sure he wasn't high on anyone's list anymore, he knew there had to be at least one person in the Bureau who could convince David that punishing Marcus for his crimes was something worth doing. Tobias glanced over his shoulder to see Marcus smiling; he balled his fists and trudged forward.

They were outside the tunnel before they knew it, the long walk giving Tobias time to think and collect himself. Rather than wait for Amar, he started walking down the path, afraid that standing still would somehow make things worse.

"I don't know why I thought it would look different," Marcus commented as they passed the rubble of what was once someone's home. "I thought we'd come out here and just… see things, people, anything. Instead, it's the dreary wasteland they always told us it was. Well, clearly there must be something out here. I doubt you're living in a shack in the middle of nowhere."

Tobias picked up the pace and called Amar. "I'm on my way back," Amar greeted. "Took a little maneuvering, but I got them in. Status on your end?"

"Complete. Sim was shut down and I'm outside the city walls."

"Copy. See you in fifteen."

Tobias walked even faster, Marcus frantically trying to match his pace. Marcus kept staring at him; it was taking everything Tobias had not to shout at him.

"Well, I can see that wherever we're going, you're in a respected position of power." Tobias snorted. "I always knew you would turn out to be better, that my corrections would work. Snuffing out that part of your mother inside of you was the best thing I ever did. Son, I am so pro—"

Tobias didn't let him finish his sentence.

The punch was hard, swift, and it took Marcus a moment to even register that he was laid out in the street. Tobias was breathing heavily, his fists still clenched tightly. "Son?"

"Don't 'son' me," Tobias spat. "I am not your son. I know what you did, you piece of shit. I know everything."

Marcus's calm demeanor vanished; his expression morphed into one that Tobias knew all too well. It was the one he associated with violence and anger. Marcus stood slowly, puffing himself up to look intimidating, though Tobias was still three or four inches taller than him. "When I assume my position of power—"

"What position?" Tobias yelled, throwing his hands up. "What power? You have no power! You never had any power, don't you get it? You're nothing, Marcus! You've always been nothing, and you'll always be nothing."

"When I assume my position of power," he repeated, "You'll have no part of it. I should have never listened to your whore of a mother, never spared your life when you were a child. I should have smothered you when I had the chance, when I saw the defect inside of you."

Tobias stood there, stunned. He always knew Marcus was a monster, but hearing him speak so freely was a revelation. Marcus would never stop. He would do whatever it took, kill whoever stood in his way, all while clinging to whatever semblance of power he had left — or as he maneuvered to somehow acquire more. Things were different outside the fence, but Tobias knew that Marcus had the cunning and the skills to snake his way to the top and to keep those beneath him from ever taking his power and position away.

"You were nothing but a burden to me, but your mother loved you dearly, so I put up with every stupid thing you did as a child. I risked everything for her, and this was how she repaid me? By leaving in the middle of the night, plotting her revenge from the outside and using you against me. She had no idea what I was capable of, and neither do you, Tobias. You will not stop me. I killed her, I killed that bitch who helped her, and I'll kill whoever else I have to, and there's not a damned thing you can do about it."

Tobias didn't think twice before he lunged at him. He knew Marcus was right, and Tobias wasn't going to let people's lives be put in danger any longer. Marcus fought back, throwing a few punches, but Tobias let his rage take hold and overpowered his father in one massive punch to the jaw, knocking him to the ground. Tobias straddled him, landing blow after blow to his face. Marcus fought feebly, but Tobias was younger, stronger, and angrier.

Marcus gurgled, and Tobias stopped, his hands shaking and bloody. "Son," he rasped, "Please. Don't—" He coughed, blood splattering over Tobias's face and chest.

"Don't?" Tobias seethed. "Don't! Are you asking me to spare your life, Father? The same way Mom asked you to spare hers?" Tobias punched him again. "You don't deserve any mercy. You deserve the same fate you bestowed on all the others, and I deserve to be the one to give it to you."

Tobias kept hitting, the blows coming harder with each noise Marcus made. "This is for my mother," he grunted out, swinging again. "And for Natalie, and for Tris, and for anyone else that had their lives ruined because of you. But most of all, Marcus," Tobias said, a single sob escaping between blows, "This is for my own good."

Marcus stilled, his eyes wide as Tobias let out a long, guttural scream. He took only one moment to look at his father, one moment to compose himself and see the fear in his eyes before he resumed, letting the emotions flow from his body. He hit him again and again, his tears mixing with the blood on his face, creating a war paint that he never imagined he'd wear. Deep down Tobias knew it was wrong. He knew he was letting the monster inside of him take over, but he just didn't care. It was more therapeutic than he ever could have dreamed. He was doling out the punishment Marcus deserved, and it felt good.

Tobias didn't hear the van approach, and was startled when he was lifted off of Marcus's body, and tossed aside. "What are you doing?" Amar sputtered, first checking Marcus's pulse, then crouching over Tobias. "What the hell happened?"

"He did," Tobias said, spitting a small amount of blood. "He deserves it, and you know it."

Tobias stood, and hovered over his father's body. He could see the ragged rise and fall of his chest, though Marcus was probably long unconscious. He bent down and retrieved his gun, aiming it. "No!" he heard Amar yell, but he pulled the trigger anyway, narrowly missing when Amar pushed him aside.

"What are you doing?" Tobias yelled, pointing at his father. "What, are we just going to take him to the Bureau? He doesn't deserve that. He doesn't deserve anything." Tobias raised his gun again, only for Amar to step between him and Marcus.

"I can't let you do this," he said. "I can't let you turn into him."

"I already have."

"No, I don't believe that. This is not what Marcus used to do to you."

Amar eased forward and gently took the gun from his hand. Tobias was reluctant to let it go as an irrational fear spread through him like wildfire. He was afraid that Marcus was somehow going to stand up, and that he would be caught off-guard and unarmed. He stood completely still as Amar inspected Marcus, then hauled him into the back of the van. He gently guided Tobias to the front seat and didn't say a word as they began driving off the road, towards the Fringe.

Amar stopped in the middle of nowhere. Tobias finally shifted his gaze, which had been fixed on nothing, and looked over at him. "He's not going to make it," Amar commented.

"Then why did you stop me?"

Amar's eyes flicked away quickly and he paused; when he finally spoke, his voice was thick with emotion. "Because… I love you, and I can't let you bear that burden. I can't watch you self-destruct because of the guilt. I will not let that man ruin your life with his death. He already did enough damage to you."

Amar got out without another word as Tobias stared on, processing the words in his head over and over. It wasn't until Amar came back for his gun that Tobias finally snapped out of it and saw that Marcus had been dragged out into the open field. There were ruins of buildings scattered around them, and Amar had placed him near a brick wall that was barely standing.

Tobias leaned forward, watching as Amar aimed the gun and pulled the trigger. Tobias wasn't sure what to think as Amar shot Marcus three more times, then pushed the brick wall over, partially covering him. They were in the midst of nothing but fields and ruins; he would never be found.

Both men were silent as they made their way back to the road. Tobias admitted to himself that he felt relieved more than anything; he would never have to worry about Marcus again. He knew he was lucky to have someone like Amar in his life. He had never had a functional family growing up, but in the few short years they had known each other, Amar had shown him what it meant to actually be a family, and Tobias was beyond grateful.

"Thank you," he whispered.

A/N:

And then the evil trio was down to two...